Bed or similar article of furniture



July 1, 1952 JA WOMACK 2,601,685

BED OR SIMILAR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed Oct. 6, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l 'a d TJ-g5 www July 1, 1952 J. A. woMAcK 2,601,685

BED 0R SIMILAR ARTICLE 0F FURNITURE Filed Oct. 6, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

/30 A lllwomacl FFS July l, 1952 l J. A. woMAcK 2,601,685

BED OR SIMILAR ARTICLE OF FURNITURE Filed oct. e. 1947 3 sheets-sheet s fig 57 I INVENTQR. .H.Womac Patenteci .uy 1v, 1,952

1U NITED sfr-nir es "I2-his .i'nventionarelates genenalyrtotheolass 0f furnituresandz-per ain .artieularly `iso-.improvementsrinfheosaonsxm ,arf-.artiolas` Qrf-urniture.

-1A principal; objeetof; the present inventionY is to v:p17Quidam aggoiation With-.'.athedr Q1-simi1ar art- ,=.c1e. of;;1urntnre,fadnawanstructure-,whiohis e0- cessible from either `side of the article of fumistare and wnehis-geonrenientlystored beneath Ythe same.

.fnother'oobiectrof .the invention. is to .provide in gazstruotnrezof: thefoharaoter ;stated,a, storage unit in the form of a drawer or the-...like .which is amounted to slide t .in :underneath the Iarticle of furniture :to 'che n t toutfof-the-Way :position whemnotiniaetuallelsenhyawhiohfsxmeant when .artiolesgare not: ,heingnlaoedin orfremoved vfrom .tneonawonor storage :compartment '.nfstillfurtherzolojeot ofthe nventons tolerevde in combnatonytwthfanarte1eoffurniture asganedor `the like.A ,w-hereta base Aportion is main anadoinospaoed f relation .,alo,ove a..f 1oor, a .sst-orage receptacle .in @the iorm of .-,a drawer, amounted. to;-s,1ide;.n-.heneath v.the .base of 1 thelbed @or otherzartiole; uonfornitura.and.aooesslole from ,.eitherrof-.two-saes.theneof.

@till anotherobeot of thelihvehteh .ia ill-PIO- tvdezia.; stnuetnreon the :above desorbed `oharaoter `@whereinL-.Suoh .dna-wer oratorage, eompartlnent.` iS

`nrota.tably'nrr-1ou.nteds I Qr-f. terr-lingv on: a rertoal axis, ',:inaaddtion ttofaeingfnlounted Afon,,sliding move- ,.Inentlsothat..allisectionsgof .the drawer or .oom- Lpartment ,-,arer readilnaooessible .when the ldrawer orioolnnartment{iatdrawnout from.Joe.neathv the :haseofthe artioleofnrnture,.means being provmgdf.togautomatioallyseeonre.thepdraweragainst free'rotation`A when it inposition.toslicegtranstvetselmof. thefb ed.

lhe :invention-will. hottest-.understood `from a .-eonsideraton 4-of,the5following...detailedA descriprtiontaken-in oonneotontwth;the.aocompanyng @drawings forminaa partl of .thegspeooationfwith the t understanding,;-fhowerer. Lthat the .invention is not oonned to .a sstriot .conformity ,with-the showing of .the'orawings-.but-f may be. `crnatnged .or

:marano memorial4 departurefrom thesalient. .faattures of the-invention l.as...expreseen 1. in .the ap- Y. .nenxlexl,'czlams.

"Inlthegdnawings Figure 1 is a View in perspective of a-.bed frame hase showing the.present,inventionappliedthere- 'ttwwiththe drawer .drawn out.

Figurezisatonplan of thesame- :Eigene e3 is .a section ,taken -substantially 4.on .rhnet--oliigourez.

`-.figure-f1 is ,amsqrin taken sobstantiahy on line `4-4 of Figure 2.

, Figure 5 lisa lfragmentary detail `section taken substantially onlinef ofjFgureZ.

...Figuren iso edetail.;.section corresponding .to

Figuren butgshowingatmooifieo floor .support .Figure 'Lis anesnladed. vew.i.n,;perepeetiye .of

y...thsnange1: .unit- .Figureia agdetailea nerepeotivaof .amQQed portionof.thehangenunit- Fieurea is a seotionalnetal showing. the *e0* taotion.of,:theoseouringqbuttons between. the .plate and akanne1. member.

i-Reierringanow moregnartienlarly totheiorawnecessarily. limitedtO., suon .use and accordingly .Tnerhedzframeas-shownoamprisesthe.spaced as parallel 'sidejooarcsolzrailsj l L and the transverse end rals.ornoarsls .l2 .which .are connected with .and. snnported .bylegsl lain the 4usual. .mannen Inaocordanoe withlthepresent `hnfenton:the

supporting metal angle bar I4. This anglefjoar I4 nonefornl as, or example. .where it .is .installed 5in the.. orienathea framestrootnre, maybe provided withthe.ololioaeiange'51.5 ,whiohwauld he .engaged nasaitable slot; I6 'formeonn the: inner "face of the sidejgralil jljl `so 'that thegholizontal angle .or web Portion i'1.of;the..analei bar will be hash.withathewbottom. eolae oftherail I` l' to. which 'itis attaehed- Where `the. invention isxtotoenstalle'd, in. anold `bed?frame `atruetulfega. SimplaLfshapeoanale ybar i tla,wtlllneaisnoseeagainsttne inner side ofsach Stole rail. No. andseeured;inposition by.. screws I8 -or any suitable similar means. 4`In this case also,

.as will hetreadily. apparent. thehoriaontatange .gor welwf'theaneledaere@designated Hamill Abe positioned.. so that!itstnnder Siae is. in theame .plane as theoottomsgge of megan 4 La .tqwnih -it `is attaehed.

"In the annlioaton, ofiLospresenainrentionf.the usual sprung .snpportinglats erhalte J-whol'aare used inra hadjframeare .eliminated and asolid floor orhonzontal Wall struetureismshioned within. the frame. to restnpon. the 4.orgposite A.angle ibarsiorfrala jenehooriisfnersgenerally; desisnated I9 and may be made up of solid boards of suitable thickness or of ply board of suitable weight or thickness as desired, the two sides of the floor resting on the horizontal flanges and there being provided at each end the transverse bars 20 and midway of the ends of the oor is a central transverse `bar 2 l. As shown, the floor I91 is divided in the two sections a which are in spaced relation at the transverse center of the bed frame and the central bar 2l is suitably supported above the space between the adjacent edges of the oor sections a and couples the sections together.

In the transverse space between the sections a of the floor, which transverse space is designated 22, there is secured the metal track which is generally designated 23. This track is of channel form, having the relatively wide top wall 24 and the narrow vertical side walls 25, each of which joins an inturned track flange 26 at its lower edge which terminates in the low upturned lip 21.

As shown in Figure 4 and indicated at 28 the floor sections a. are rabbeted at their lower or bottom corners to receive the horizontal flange I1 of the supporting angle bracket. This brings the bottom surface of the floor in the same horizontal plane as the under side of the supporting flange or web of the angle. It will also be readily apparent that the two ends of the channel track 23 are closed by the vertical portions of the angle brackets toward which they are directed.

The numeral 29 generally designates a drawer or storage compartment of relatively shallow form and open at its top. Such drawer comprises the opposite face panels 30 which are provided with hand pulls 3l, and the connecting side walls 32 which are set in slightly from the ends of the face panels 3U as shown in Figure 2. `The numeral 33 designates the bottom of the drawer and extending between the face panels 35 or what may be termed lengthwise of the drawer, is a relatively wide division wall 34. This division wall may be of solid construction but preferably n it is made up of two plywood strips or panels 35 which are maintained in spaced parallel relation by the interposed longitudinally extending, top and bottom blockings 36 and 31. By providing the additional transverse walls 34a, the drawer may be divided into four separate compartments,

y if desired.

At the exact center of the drawer there is secured to the division wall 34, a hanger unit by means of which the drawer is suspended from At the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse center lines of the plate 39 there is formed the aperture 39' which is of polygonal form, here shown as square. This aperture 39 has tted therein the squared part 42 of a pivot pin or bolt 42. This part 42 is at the inner end .of the threaded portion 42, which extends beyond the top of the plate 39 and receives the securing nut 42a. Beneath the squared portion 42' of the bolt 1s a portion 42h which is also of polygonal outline and materially larger than the portion 42". This larger portion 42h may be square like the portion 42' or of any other form desired, other than round.

The total length of the portions 42' and 42h is less than the overall length of the bolt 42 between the threaded portion and the head of the bolt so that there is left at the lower end of the bolt the circular portion c which extends to the bolt head d.

Disposed below the roller carrying plate 39 and suspended from the bolt 42 as hereinafter described, is a hanger yoke which is generally designated 43 and which comprises a relatively long rectangular top plate portion 44 and a lower downwardly opening channel portion 45 of approximately the same width and length as the plate 44.

The top plate 44 of the hanger yoke has the upstanding longitudinal edge anges 44a and at the center of this plate is an opening 44h of the same form and size as'the larger polygonal portion 421) of the bolt. Encircling this opening 44h and extending upwardly from the top of the plate 44 is the guide collar in which the part 42h of the bolt slides, this guide collar being designated 44c.

The plate 44 is also provided on the longitudinal center line, with the downwardly projecting buttons 46 which are rounded upon their undersides and are pressed from the metal of the plate 44.

The channel member 45 extends longitudinally of and lies over the division wall 31 and includes the down-turned longitudinal edge ilanges 45a which position against the outer sides of the division wall as shown and have formed therethrough the bolt openings 45h for the passage of securing bolts or pins 46.

At the intersection of the longitudinal and transverse lines of the plate 45 is an aperture 45o which receives the portion c of the suspension bolt 42. Thus the head d of the suspension bolt is located upon the underside of the central part of the channel member 45 and between the head d and the underside of the central portion of the channel member 45 is interposed the annular ball bearing race plate 41 which, together with an overlying bearing plate 41a, encircles the part c of the bolt the plate 41 being suitably channelled to receive the bearing balls 48 which bear against the plate 41a and support it in contact with the under face of the central portion of the channel member as best illustrated in Figure 3.

Encircling the enlarged squared portion 42b'of the suspension bolt and also the collar 44e, and compressed between the plate 39 and ,the plate 44, is the compression spring 49. This spring functions to maintain the two hanger members 44 and 45 pressed tightly together and the central portion of the member 45 is provided along its longitudinal center line with the sockets or depressions 46a in which frictionally engage the projections or buttons 46 of the plate 444. Thus it will be seen that relative rotary movement between the parts 44 and 45 is resisted until sufcient force is applied to the drawer to cause the rounded undersides of the buttons 45 to ride out of the sockets 46a thereby compressingv the spring 49.

As an alternative construction, in place of the downwardly directed buttons 46. and the depressions 46a in the parts 44 and 45, use may be made of a spring pressed latch of Athe type employed for securing or holding cabinet doors, such latch,

generally designated 46h, being shown in Figure 9, secured to the central portion of the lower channel member here designated 49a. The construction and operation of a latch of the type here shown and designated 4Gb is well known in the building trade. Such latch comprises a cylinder e which houses a spring, not shown, and which presses upwardly and partway through the open end of the cylinder, a ball or knob f. As the device is installed in the channel member 49a, the knob j projects above the top of the central portion of such member and is designed to frictionally engage in the downwardly opening socket 46c which is formed in the plate Md.

Adjacent to each of the four corners of the drawer, each side wall 32 has secured to the outer side thereof at each end, the metal caster 49. These casters are mounted upon suitable supporting brackets 50 so that the wheels thereof will contact the underside of the bottom wall or floor I9. Thus by this contact of the casters with the oor the drawer or storage compartment is maintained horizontal at all times and if it is necessary to revolve the drawer on the bearing support at the center thereof, the caster rollers move against the underside of the floor to facilitate such revolving.

It will be readily apparent from the foregoing that the drawer structure 29 may be pulled out from either side of the bed frame to expose half of the drawer. Thus two of the compartments, where the drawer is divided into four compartments as shown, will be available and if it is desired to reach the other compartments this can be easily accomplished by revolving the drawer on the bearing carried by the suspension unit pin 42. During such rotation of the drawer at least two of the casters will always be in contact with the underside of the floor, thus functioning in association with the central suspension means,

to maintain the drawer steady at all times.

By substituting the solid bottom wall or floor I9 for the usual spring supporting slats and by suspending the drawer so that the top thereof comes into close proximity to the underside of such iioor bottom, it will be seen that effective coverage is given to the drawer to prevent excessive dust entrance.

I claim:

l. The combination with an article of furniture having a leg supported base frame, of a track secured transversely of the lower side of the frame, a drawer unit positioned beneath the lower side of the frame, a hanger attached to said drawer at the center thereof and including supporting wheels engaging said track for facilitating movement of the drawer across the under side of the frame, means forming a part of the hanger facilitating the rotation of the drawer on a vertical axis, and cooperating means between the corners of the drawer and the under side of the frame for maintaining the drawer horizontal during transverse and rotary movement of the drawer relative to the frame.

2. In an article of furniture having a leg supported base frame, a horizontal oor Wall in the frame, a track supported transversely of the fioor wall, a drawer having an open top and positioned immediately beneath the floor wall, and a hanger unit secured to the drawer in the center thereof, the hanger unit including a wheel carrying member engaging said track and movable lengthwise thereof to facilitate moving the drawer outwardly from beneath either side of the frame.

3. A structure of the character stated in claim 2, wherein said track is in the form of a downwardly opening channel member having two spaced inturned anges, the said wheel carrying member of the hanger unit comprising a plate positioned within the channel and a pair of wheels at each of two opposite sides of the plate, each pair of wheels resting upon a track flange.

4. An article of the character stated in claim 2, wherein said hanger unit includes a vertical pivot bolt forming the connection between the drawer and the wheel carrying member and on which the drawer is rotatable in a horizontal plane, and roller members carried by the drawer at the top thereof and adjacent to the corners and contacting the under side of the floor wall.

5. An article of the character stated in claim 2, wherein said hanger unit also includes a suspension bolt connected to the wheel carrying member and about the axis of which the drawer turns in a horizontal plane, and yieldable frictional holding means for securing the drawer against free turning movement when the drawer is in position for movement lengthwise of the track.

6. In an article of furniture having a leg supported base frame, a horizontal oor wall in the frame, a track supported transversely of the frame, the floor wall comprising two .sections having spaced edge opposed relation and said track being secured between said spaced edges, said track comprising an inverted channel member having spaced inwardly directed flanges along its open side in the plane of the bottom surface of the oor wall, a drawer having an o pen top and positioned beneath and in close proximity to said bottom surface of the floor wall to be closed thereby, the drawer having a central division wall. a yoke member engaged over the top edge of said division wall, and a hanger unit comprising a plate within the track channel, wheels carried by the plate and bearing upon said flanges and a bolt pivotally coupling said plate with said yoke member.

7. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 6, wherein said yoke member has a flat top portion, friction means restricting the turning of the drawer on the bolt, comprising a plate resting upon the flat top of said yoke member, the second mentioned plate and top of the yoke member having interengaging studs and sockets, means securing the second mentioned plate against turning around the bolt but permitting its movement lengthwise thereof, and a spring surrounding the bolt and interposed between the two plates to press the second mentioned plate against the flat top of said yoke member.

JAMES A. WOMACK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,358,756 Kozlowski Nov. 16, 1920 1,896,346 Bolhuis Feb. 7, 1933 2,082,088 Wilson June 1, 1937 

